US News Briefer: Politics, Storms, and Social Challenges Shake the Nation

Recent U.S. domestic highlights include Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's narrowing poll gap, intensified scrutiny on FEMA as hurricanes approach, the projected $1.8 trillion fiscal deficit, and a landmark Biden rule on lead pipe replacement. Legal and political controversies, such as Trump's election claims and New York's City Hall corruption, further dominate headlines.

In a tight race for the upcoming U.S. presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris holds a slender lead over former President Donald Trump, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. Harris is ahead by only three percentage points, 46% to Trump's 43%, as economic issues and immigration claims influence voters.

As Hurricane Milton gains strength, the federal emergency agency FEMA faces mounting pressure. With Milton's expansion towards Florida's Tampa Bay, the agency juggles budget constraints and past storm response criticisms while battling misinformation.

President Biden announced a groundbreaking rule mandating the removal of every lead pipe in the U.S. within a decade, aiming to combat environmental and racial disparities stemming from lead contamination, highlighted by crises in Flint and Newark.

(With inputs from agencies.)